George, Nicholas, Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins (5/5)

A look at the incredible story of Queen Victoria's three first cousins who found themselves at the centre of a family feud and a global war when she died in 1901.

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[bulgeland4]

george v was far stupider than nicholas ii

[324wilson]

@bulgeland4 ...Although, I don't blame Nicholas. I blame his father who didn't educated him properly and told him to oppose all the reforms. Also, his wife (with the help of Rasputin, of course). George many not have been intellectual but he had an intellectual wife, who was a conservative but believed in reform. In the end, who survivied? George. Why? Well, I will strongly recommend you to read "The Three Emperors" by Miranda Carter. Nicholas lived in a solipsistic world, George did not.

[bulgeland4]

@324wilson

the bottom line is that russian autocratic style of goverment was designed for an intellectual giant like catherine the great to be no1. imagine george v being the autocrat of russia...

[324wilson]

@bulgeland4 Oh, absolutely. I never said that George was an intellectual, probably beacause he didn't need to be one since his family knew he was to become a constitutional monarch. However, neither was Nicholas and he had to become one since he was an absolute monarch. George was a constitutional expert and knew everything about the English Constitution. He never opposed any necessary reforms, despite being a conservative figure. Nicholas lived in an illusioned world, where everyone was loyal.

[bulgeland4]

@324wilson i think george survived because the brits always had a far superior political system with parliament as lightning rod for all troubles.

i thought today how tragic was that alix wasn't imbued with british democratic spirit from the english side of her family, but insisted on autocracy, she should have led nicky (he obeyed her like a puppy) to make duma the lightning rod for russia's troubles. but i think her stance is very indicative of wider british royal family leanings.

[324wilson]

@bulgeland4 I couldn't agree more. Also because George was brought up in qusi-democratic environment, where friends of the Royal Family included people of all colours and religions. A good case can be made that Nicholas was an anti-Semite (so was the Kaiser) but Rothschilds were very close friends of Edward VII, and George. Not to forget that George was very lucky in the choice of his wife, Queen Mary, who was tuff, well-read and an intellectual.

[vinago]

I guess Nicholas' failure in the monarchy largely goes back to Alexander III's foolish decisions. He reverted Russia back to the way it was when it was just starting to modernize and assumed that he would live ten years longer even when he was on his deathbed.

[MrJNO123]

people forget that olga survived. she died in 1960. she fled to canada

[Rhyas9]

My history's not the best, but other than this rescue attempt, I remember reading somewhere that royalist forces were approaching the town, and that probably spooked the Bolsheviks to shoot em up.

[JuliusAnudasson]

@vasp99 Left arm actualy.

[vasp99]

Note that William never shows his right hand . It was deformed and he went to great lengths never to reveal it .

[Frankcastle522]

I wish Germany would have succeeded in Operation Michael. They defeat France negotiate a peace on their terms with Britain before America makes a difference in the war and all of a sudden no world war two and communism is halted and maybe stopped by Germany's capturing of Russian land after the war.